Multiple rotary card file



June 12, 19 56 F. WASSELL MULTIPLE ROTARY CARD FILE Filed April 28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet. l

INVENTOR. flew/W Z1 0V0 W/'ddfll BY M G Armew-V;

June 12, 1956 F. WASSELL MULTIPLE ROTARY CARD FILE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1951 INVENTOR. fiW/V/r [10m M555! Arm/awn;

June 12, 1956 F. WASSELL 2,750,051

MULTIPLE ROTARY CARD FILE Filed April 28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet s I N VEN TOR. @444 [mm #4455511 United States Patent MULTIPLE ROTARY CARD FILE Frank Lloyd Wassell, Westport, Conn., assignor to Georgene Par-kin Wassell, Westport, Conn.

Application April 28, 1951', Serial No. 223,593

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-131) The present invention relates to filing systems and, more particularly, to rotary multiple tray files especially adapted for holding tabulating cards or other vertically filed mate rial;

In order to provide increased storage capacity in a given floor space, rotatable file trays have previously been mounted one above the other, forming a generally cylindrical assembly. For maximum utility ofa given volume, the trays should be stacked as closely together as possible. This objective has heretofore conflicted sharply with the requirement of providing adequate view of the material that is filed on the lower trays and sufficient clearance to permit this material to be extracted or replaced vertically.

One attempt to overcome this ditficulty has resulted in the provision of stacked file trays of progressively decreasing radius from the lowest to the highest. The filed material is then-arranged around the circumference of each tray in the annular portion that is not entirely overlapped by the tray above. a r

Another proposed solution of this problem is to-mount rotatable trays of progressively decreasing size on a vertical column having fixed, successively rearwardly ofiset bearings in order that the front ,edgesof'the trays may be disposed in a step-like formation while the rear edges of, the trays are in substantially vertical alignment. A further previously known arrangement is an assembly of vertically spaced rotatable file trays each of which is mounted on one end of a respective bracket arm, which arm is supported at its other end for independent horizontal swinging movement on a common vertical column lying outside the radius of the tray. ,This assembly of similar, trays normally forms a cylindrical stack with the bracket arms in alignment, but since the bracket arms are adapted for independent oscillation, any one of the file trays may be swung away from the stack to expose the top of the particular tray and to permit inspection of its contents.

AII prior proposals known to the applicant for utilizing a plurality of tiers of rotatable file trays have either failed to achieve maximum storage efficiency, have suffered from mechanical complexity or structural weakness, and/ or have required the file clerk to resort to a pushpull action which is one of those disadvantages of conventional filing systems that rotary file systems are intended to overcome.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a filing system which enables a large quantity of material, such as business machine cards, to be handled from a sitting position in order that individual pieces of material may be quickly and with minimum effort extracted and then refiled after being examined, recorded upon or processed in albusiness machine.

A further object is to provide a sturdy and simple rotary multiple tray filing assembly afiording maximum filing capacity in a. given cylindrical volume while permitting a seated operator to have ready access to all filed material from the top of each tray.

The above and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a filing system comprising a plurality of independently rotatable overlapping horizontal platforms, such as concentrically stacked circular file trays, at least one platform having an opening therein through which a portion of the overlapped surface of another plat form may be reached. This opening may take the form of a truncated sector removed from the circumference of a circular tray. By the mere act of aligning the openings in the horizontal platforms, ready access may be hadto the surface of any lower platform. Furthermore, by rotating such lower platform relative to the aligned openings, all portions of the filing surface may be successively exposed. Thus by sacrificing for access purposes a portion of the surface of each platform except, of course, the lowest platform, the spacing between each platform may be reduced to only slightly more than the height of the filed material, the number of platforms may be greatly increased, and the total capacity of the filing system substantially improved.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvedfiling system as seen obliquely from above,

Figure 2 is a crosssectional view of the filing system taken in elevation,

Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction indicated by arrows 4, 4 in Figure 2 of a detail of the detent device which normally retains the openings in the platforms in vertical alignment adjacent to the operator,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the filing system showing how the less accessible base may be utilized for less active records, and

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the relation of the filing system to the position of an operator.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a plurality of horizontal platforms or file trays ll, 12, 13, 14' and 15. spaced one above the other and concentrically mounted for independent rotation about a central hollow column 16. supported by a base 17. A typical tray 11 is formed from a generally circular sheet 18 fastened to radial webs or braces 19 which extend, somewhat like spokes of a wheel, from a central hub 21. A truncated sector of sheet 18 is absent between radial webs 22 and 23 leaving an opening 28 intray 11 and these webs are interconnected near hub 21 by atransverse brace 24. Rotatable' tray 11'is here shown as adapted to hold rectangular file boxes 25. These file boxes are held in proper alignment by pairs of spacers 26 and 27, indicated as flanges, parallel to the radius which extends half-way therebetween.

Trays ll, 12 and 13 are illustrated in their normal resting position with respective openings 28, 29 and 31 in vertical alignment. Tray M has been rotated so that its opening 32 is no longer in alignment with the other openings with the result that file box 25" on tray '14 is now readily accessible to the file clerk. The spacing between the trays has been exaggerated in Figure 1 for simplicity of illustration and in practice the bottom of one tray barely clears the toplof the material filed. on the tray immediately below. The lowermost tray 15 is similar to the other trays with the exception that no opening need be provided in the same. The transversebrace 24 performs the additional function of providing a backing plate on which an index of the material filed on the particular may may be posted.

A braking device is provided, more clearly shown in Figure 2 having a foot pedal 33 attached to-a lever arm Lid-which projects through the side of the base 17. Arm 34 is pivotally attached to the base by a fulcrum pin 35 and associated bracket. A vertically movable shaft 36, located within hollow column 16, has its lower end pivotally connected to the lever arm 34 at a point 37 displaced from the fulcrum pin 35. The far end of shaft 36 is fastened to one end of a tension spring 38, the other end of which is fixed by a transverse pin 39 to the column 16 near the top thereof. Beneath each rotatable tray transversely aligned vertical slots 41 and 42 are formed in column 16. A brake arm 43, attached perpendicularly to shaft 36, projects radially through each pair of slots 41 and 42. At the extremities of each arm 43 are mounted brake shoes 44 and 45 which carry linings 46 and 47, respectively. An annular collar 48 is attached to the rotor portion of each bearing 49 on which the trays are adapted to turn.

In the normal position, spring 38 draws shaft 36 upward, carrying transverse brake arms 43 toward the top of slots 41 and 42 and pressing brake linings 46 and 47 into frictional engagement with collars 48. When the operator wishes to rotate any tray, the foot pedal 33 is depressed, releasing all trays for rotation.

A detent device 51 is provided for each tray in order to avoid accidental rotation of the quiescent trays from their normal position with their openings adjacent the operator while filed material is being sought ona different tray. Each detent device 51 is formed with a bracket 52 bolted to column 16. Fixed vertically to the outer end of bracket 52 is a cylindrical tube 53, a detail of which is shown in Figure 3. Tube 53 contains a detent ball 54 which is resiliently pressed upward by compression spring 55 housed within the tube 53. The entrance of tube 53 is crimped or spun inwards at edge 56 to retain the ball 54 in position. A catch 57 is provided on the underside of each rotatable tray for accommodating the detent ball 54 when the opening in the particular tray is opposite the operator.

Figure 4 shows a modified portion of the structure of Figure 1 wherein the lowermost part of the filing system is non-rotatable and adapted to hold material which need not be referred to constantly.

A polygonal housing 61, having thin vertical walls 62 of equal width rising from the base 17, symmetrically surrounds central column 16. Vertical partitions 63 extend radially from the angles of the polygonal housing 61 to form, in cooperation with walls 62, a plurality of truncated wedge-shaped storage compartments. Radial slots 64 are provided in the top surface of base 17 to receive tabs of movable partitions or index cards. Correspondence or card files may be conveniently arranged circumferentially around the base.

Figure illustrates the usual spatial relation between the filing system and the operators chair 65 and a business machine 66. The top of the uppermost tray is slightly below the operators eye level while the lowest rotatable tray is spaced sufliciently above the floor to permit the operator to reach the same without tiresome bending. Thus, all the filed material is accessible to the operator from a seated position with a minimum of exertion.

When a larger filing capacity is needed, a second filing system duplicating the first may be located on the other side of the operator. However, where less capacity is required all the rotatable trays may be mounted below desk level. A large work surface may then be provided over the major portion of the filing system.

The operator, quite naturally, faces the filed material when the same is arranged circumferentially of the trays. With such arrangement the radial webs 19 may be advantageously located beneath the surfaces of the trays and the file boxes 25 replaced by concentric circular partitions forming annular filing spaces.

Having in mind that different conditions may dictate seemingly different ways of carrying out the invention, as for example, where two openings are required at opposite sides of each file tray to permit operation by either one of two seated file clerks, it is to be understood that the claims are not to be restrictively interpreted in the light of the particular rotatable file tray assembly shown in the drawings and discussed in detail, since this embodiment serves only to exemplify the invention and is solely for illustrative purposes.

I claim:

1. In a filing system for vertically filed material in which a plurality of overlapping horizontal platforms are independently and rotatably mounted upon a common vertical column and at least one platform has an opening therein through which a portion of the overlapped surface of a lower platform may be reached, the improved braking mechanism which comprises a pair of transverse vertical slots in said column below at least one of said platforms; a brake arm projecting through said pair of slots; a braking surface at each end of said arm; a vertically movable shaft within said column fastened to the brake arm; a spring fastened to the upper end of said shaft and to a point higher in the column whereby the braking surfaces in normal position are held in frictional engagement with the bottom of the nearest upper platform; a lever arm fastened to said shaft at the base of the column; and a foot pedal at the end of said lever arm whereby depression of the foot pedal lowers the shaft and removes the braking surfaces from their frictional engagement with the nearest upper tray whereby an operator may control the rotation of each platform and obtain access to a predetermined sector of an individual platform.

2. In a filing system for vertically filed material wherein a plurality of overlapping horizontal platforms are independently and rotatably mounted on a common vertical column and at least one of said platforms has an opening therein through which a portion of the overlapped surface of the lower platform may be reached, the improvement which comprises the combination of a braking device and a detent device for controlling the rotation of at least one of said platforms; the braking device including a brake arm projecting through a pair of transverse vertical slots in said column below at least one of said platforms, a braking surface at each end of said arm, a vertically movable shaft within said column fastened to said brake arm, a spring fastened to the upper end of said shaft and to a point higher in the column whereby the braking surfaces in normal position are held in frictional engagement with the bottom of the nearest upper platform, a lever arm fastened to said shaft at the base of the column, and a foot pedal at the end of said lever arm whereby depression of the foot pedal lowers the shaft and removes the braking surfaces from their frictional engagement with the nearest upper tray; the detent device including a bracket fastened to said column below at least one of said platforms, a vertical, cylindrical tube extending upwardly from the outer end of said bracket, a detent ball within said tube, a spring within said tube below said ball whereby compression of the spring forces the ball upwardly, and a catch on the underside of the nearest upper platform adapted to engage said detent ball whereby the platform is prevented from rotating when the opening therein is in a predetermined position.

3. In a filing system wherein a plurality of overlapping horizontal platforms are supported in spaced relation one above the other by a common vertical column and are provided with mountings on said column permitting independent rotation of said platforms thereabout, at least one of said platforms having an opening therein through which a portion of the overlapped surface of a lower platform may be reached, the improvement which comprises the combination of a plurality of brake members respectively associated with said platforms and movable into engagement therewith to render said platforms in braked condition, common actuator means disposed radially inward of said platform mountings in connected relation with each of said brake members to simultaneously move said members into and out of engagement with said platforms, and a plurality of detent mechanisms of which each mechanism provides a detent engagement between two halves of the mechanism, each mechanism being secured by one half thereof to said column and by the other half thereof to a respective one of said platforms, said combination facilitating rotation of one selected platform at a time by virtue of the yieldable holding of the other platforms by said detent mechanisms when said brake members are disengaged from said platforms to release the same from the braked condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Knaster Mar. 20, 1928 Casey Mar. 27, 1934 Frick May 25, 1937 Mueller July 6, 1937 Froelich July 23, 1940 Jordan Aug. 19, 1941 Saltz Sept. 4, 1945 Scholfield et a1. "Jan. 2, 1951 Rosenberg May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Nov. 25, 1902 Germany Sept. 2, 1907 Germany Oct. 10, 1939 France Sept. 23, 1946 

